Within Frames. The museum could not have come up with a better term to sum up what characterized life, Hungarian arts scene included, during the era of Soviet repression. A frame can be interpreted as a form of stability, but it also means limitation. Under a regime forcing them to work within pre-determined frames, artists were restricted in their forms of expression. During this period, artworks were classified according to the system of the “Three T’s”: Tiltott, Tűrt and Támogatott; Forbidden, Tolerated and Supported.
The pieces on view created mostly between 1958 and 1968 present the early attempts of Magyar masters to break free of restrictions by experimenting with original art forms while still adhering to Communist-era guidelines. At the entry hall of the display, visitors are greeted by a timeline mounted on the wall, showing events from a Hungarian and international point of view. The chronology starts from 1945, continues onto the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, when the Magyars rose up against the oppressive Soviet forces, and ends with the Prague Spring in 1968.
However, what stands out inside this dimly lit hall is the monumental installation representing a communal housing block, a typical construction of the era, put up in no time. Still dominating parts of Budapest’s cityscape, these uniform apartment buildings are presented here to symbolize the frames of daily life during the period. This installation is built around the museum’s original stairway and ascending the steps feels like entering the emblematic edifice.
On the upper level, a colorful scene with bright lights await visitors with a vast line of pictures displayed across multiple halls, works of Hungarian masters of Socialist Modernism, including Béla Kondor, Dezső Korniss and István Mácsai. The exhibition space is also dotted with sculptures, drawings, poster ads, video installations, even household items. Vintage objects include a portable radio, a retro TV and the era’s famous mass-produced Gábriel chair designed by Hungarian Gábriel Frigyes.
Some of the distinct artworks bear common features, including the use of sharp colors, straight lines and geometric shapes, but you will also discover similarities in the portraid subjects. Peasant lifestyle, family, the daily routine of the working class, and Communist symbols all beckon the viewer to glimpse facets of the era.
Further into the exhibition, the display highlights inspirations from abroad, including two Picasso artworks from the 1950s portraying the Dove of Peace, a symbol that originates from the artist himself. Besides Picasso, other influential names whose works are presented here include French painters Fernard Léger and Bernard Buffet, English artist Henry Moore, the Italian Alberto Sughi, German painter Willi Sitte and Greek sculptor Makrisz Agamemnon.
The exhibition is divided into seven bigger sections and sub-sections, featuring artworks around such topics as Modernism in Design, Art and Global Politics and Building Cities. The gallery halls are enmeshed with symbolic frames often seen at constructions, now used as displays and for seating visitors. You leave the exhibition through a museum shop stocking a range of merchandise that evoke the ’60s, including a vinyl selection, retro toys and fashion accessories typical of the era.
